Most of us live a highly demanding life. The COVID-19 pandemic has added worries and uncertainty to our already stressful life leading to general low mood, stress and anxiety which can have a profound impact on quality of life, our immune system and general health.
In order to achieve psychological balance, we need to boost our emotional resilience. We can do this with mental health promoting habits such as physical activity, good sleep and connecting to other people. In addition, studies suggest that natural astaxanthin, available as AstaPure® is one of the most powerful antioxidants known and may support emotional wellbeing.
Research suggests a link between oxidative stress, the brain, mental health and emotional wellbeing1. A balance between free radicals (reactive oxygen species) and antioxidants is essential for healthy physiological function. When this balance is disrupted oxidative stress occurs, resulting in damage to lipids, proteins and DNA.
The brain with its high oxygen consumption (about 20% of the total oxygen in the body) and limited antioxidant defenses is highly susceptible to oxidative stress2,3. Oxidative stress may be increased in a number of psychiatric disorders, including anxiety and depression.4
Astaxanthin is a dark red carotenoid naturally produced by the microalgae pluvialis Haematococcus. It is one of the most powerful antioxidants known with over 500 studies of its diverse health benefits. One of astaxanthin’s advantages is that it crosses the blood brain barrier, allowing a potential beneficial effect on the brain. Astaxanthin was found to have a positive effect on depressive-like behavior in a pre-clinical study. The beneficial effects of astaxanthin were associated with its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties.5
A product containing Solabia- Algatech Nutrition’s’ natural astaxanthin and sesame combination was shown, in a clinical study to have a beneficial effect on the recovery from mental fatigue6.
References
1. Moylan S. et al., "Oxidative & nitrosative stress in depression: Why so much stress?" Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2014;45:46-62.
2. Halliwell B., "Oxidative stress and neurodegeneration: Where are we now?" J Neurochem. 2006;97(6):1634-1658.
3. Cobley JN. et al., "13 Reasons Why the Brain Is Susceptible To Oxidative Stress," Redox Biol. 2018;15(January): 490-503.
4. Pandya, C.D; Howell KRPA., "Antioxidants as potential
therapeutics for neuropsychiatric disorders," 2014;(706):1-23.
5. Ke Y. et al., "Preventive and therapeutic effects of astaxanthin on depressive-like behaviors in high-fat diet and streptozotocin-treated rats," Front Pharmacol. 2020;10(January):1-12.
6. Imai A. et al., "Effects of dietary supplementation of
astaxanthin and sesamin on daily fatigue: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study," Nutrients. 2018;10(3):1-12.
